A Domed Defense Against Tornadoes

Your reader from OKC who had the shelter built in her garage is so right. When you live in Tornado Alley, you need to be prepared. On a recent road trip in Texas, I was intrigued by a site in the tiny town of Italy, Texas. It was the Monolithic Dome Institute.

I exited the interstate, toured the grounds and came away fascinated as to why this architectural wonder is not more employed in places prone to hurricanes, tornadoes and cyclones. They simply cannot be blown down. Further, monolithic dome buildings qualify for FEMA grants because they meet the agency’s standards for near absolute protection from tornadoes and hurricanes. The Monolithic Dome Institute has built them for schools (great start), churches and industry. A perusal of their site will show you plenty of very nice single family homes as well. I’m sure your average HOA would freak if you started to build a dome, but if your house is the only one standing after a natural disaster, maybe it’s time to rethink how we’re building. Imagine a community, a subdivision made entirely of dome houses. Weird? For a while, sure, but what a lifesaver.